


A Christmas miracle

by Hawkeyes_chicklet



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Christmas, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:53:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28312641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hawkeyes_chicklet/pseuds/Hawkeyes_chicklet
Summary: Natasha does not like Christmas. Can Steve and Clint prove her otherwise?
Relationships: Clint Barton/Natasha Romanov
Kudos: 4





	A Christmas miracle

Halloween was just over and all over the tower the first Christmas decorations popped up. It was like they instantly replaced the spooky things with the festive ones. 

With a groan Natasha picked up a snowman card from a windowsill. "Does it have to start so soon? Can't stand it.", she mutterd and threw the poor fellow into the trashcan. Clint had heard her and he knew very well that she couldn't stand it. Last year was a disaster. All she wanted to do was hide in her room and see no one. Not even him. Okay, he was in the best holiday mood with his ugly Christmas sweater on, eggnog in hand and singing carols with the others. But damn, he was an American and he loved the season. There was alcohol, music, everybody in a mild and calm mood. Anyone but her. Took him a while to figure out why. She never knew a true and cozy Christmas celebration. She didn't know the amazement of seeing a bright adorned tree with lots of presents under it at the morning of the 25th December. All the love and joy you could feel when everyone you love is with you and you are having a real good time. 

This year he wanted to include her. Gently. He had one and a half month to do that. And if he didn't succeed he would hide with her in her room. Or maybe take her on a trip to somewhere there's no Christmas. 

There must be something where she opens up to. The bright and glistening lights from the city's street decorations? That she didn't like the holiday shoppers and the constant stress they are causing, that was understood. Who likes that anyway? He was the sort of man that buys presents on 24th December on the next gas station. But to be fair: he hasn't anyone to give presents to. Had. He hadn't anyone. Now she was in his life and he would give her something. And nothing from the gas station. Something with heart and soul. 

"A secret Santa?", she asked: "What's that?" Steve smiled: "We write our name on cards, fold it and put it in a bowl. Everyone picks a card and has to get a present for the person on the card. We gather the presents under the tree and nobody will know from whom his or her present is from." "Yeah. Thank you Steve. So. You're in, Nat?", Clint looked at her with puppy eyes. She turned soft and sighed "And I thought that your Santa Guy does all the work." They laughed and wrote their names on the cards. One by one they picked them up. 

"Okay, does everyone have a counterpart? No cheating! No telling!"

"Who have you got?", Clint tried as he walked to the gym with his partner. "No telling," she quoted Cap. "That's the spirit!" "Yeah, it's still bullshit." "Aww, don't say that. You promised me to get along." "And you promised to steal a jet and fly me out of this Christmas dump when it's getting too glittery and holiday-ish." He laughed "And I mean it." "Good."

He got Cap. Piece of cake. At least it was not Tony. What do you get a billionaire who had literally everything? But Steve was a sentimental old chap. He only had to get a vinyl with old music or some memorabilia from the 40ies or something. But still he was curious who Nat had to get a present for. 

Steves POV…. Well, sort of...

The weeks flew by and they had few missions. Everyone was chilled and the Christmas spirit lay upon them. Clint and Steve were in the kitchen on a Sunday morning, baking cookies, as Nat shuffled up. She looked grumpy and took a seat, eyed the boys as they were wearing aprons and singing carols. "Morning Nat. Slept well?" Steve asked with the brightest smile. She didn't answer and Clint passed her a mug of coffee as she always drinks it. Her fingers touched his shortly, it does not seemed to be a big deal but Steve noticed it anyway. Clint came back to his work. Steve had just taken a tray out of the oven. "Mhm, yum!" Clint reached for one cookie but Steve held him back. "They're hot!", he scolded. "Yes mom!", Clint answered. "So Nat, we want to go to the big tree in the city when it's getting dark. A little window shopping, grab something to eat and so on. Wanna come?", Steve tried to convince her. She looked up from her coffee. "Sure." Clint had blown a cookie and went to Nat again. "Try them, they are so good!" He held the cookie to her mouth and lets her take a bite. 

Another very private move as Steve registered. She smiled "Indeed, they ARE good. Can't believe you two made them!", she smiled. "Thanks. You're invited to help us do the icing and decorating." "And you can eat all the cookies you want - we have made plenty.", Clint whispered and Steve nodded. "You are adorable. All right." "Come here." She stood up and came to the counter. Clint approached and tied a apron around her. She looked kind of embarrassed. As she raised to mock he said: "No, you have to. You don't want to get icing or glitter all over you." "There is glitter?", she asked baffled but Steve just shrugged his shoulders, grinning. 

It turned out that Nat was quite creative and gave attention on details in decorating the cookies. So they got some awesome snowflakes and trees. "Look Nat, I've made us as gingerbread people!" Clint presented two cookie assasins with a little gear on, one with red hair, one with a bow. It wasn't perfect but recognizable and very sweet. And suddenly Nat laughed. Steve had never hear her laugh like this before. But apparently Clint had. He was a little proud. Both, of the cookie and his ability to make her laugh like that. Steve was aware that there was chemistry between them. More than ever. She seemed to be more relaxed when Clint was with her. No one knew what they were like when they were alone but know he got a glimpse. And somehow it made him happy. 

On December 24, Steve and Clint set up the tree in the common room. It was a big tree. The rest of the Avengers came to have a look and to give suggestions for the decorations. They argued like children. Nat sat by Clints side and helped him detangle Christmas lights. For her it wasn't important in which colour the tree was decorated, she just was amused by her boys. Everyone wanted a different colour, mostly the one that their uniform holds. "How about we all add something to the tree. Maybe looks a little bit chaotic but you like blinking and changing lights on trees, for gods sake," She finally interrupted the brawlers.

….

It was late this evening. Nat snuck to the common room. She wanted to place her secret Santa present. As she entered the room, Clint rose from the sofa. "What are you doing here?", she asked surprised and hid her present behind her back. "Waiting for Santa. And you?" "Wanted to bring my present in. Forgot it over the day." "Yeah." "Yeah." She kneeled down so he couldn't see what and where she was hiding it. 

The room wasn't lit up, they wanted to present the tree and the whole room in the morning. 

\--

"Rise and shine! It's Christmas time!" Clint stood before Natashas bed where she'd fallen asleep with a book still by her side. 

In the morning they had a big breakfast altogether. Everyone was wearing ugly sweaters. Even Nat, some elves had left her one at the doorstep. After they had finished, they all went into the common room.

Clint and Steve had thrived themselves and it looked simply great. They had even set up a fake chimney with stockings for everyone. The tree was lit up and pretty. They had rearranged the sofas and it was cozy with blankets, cookies on plates on the table. Before they all sat down, Steve gave out coffee or hot chocolate. Christmas carols were the background noises. "You did quite the job, it looks amazing!", Nat praised. Clint slid next to her, holding a cocoa. "We spared no expenses," he laughed.

"Presents!", Thor insisted. The norse god had found like on this holiday.

And so it started. One by one they got their presents. Nat got a pair of expensive looking earrings and she assumed that they came from Tony. Clint was the last one to open his present. It was a simple box with a white silk inlay and a strip of paper. On the paper something was written by a typewriter or a printout from a printer. It just said: "Later.".

"Okay, who fucked it up and got no present?" Tony looked to one another, clearly pissed. Clint waved him away "It says later. For whatever that means." "It means: I fucked up and need time to get to the next 7-11 to buy some trash." Ironman got upset. "No need to get angry. I'm sure time will tell."

Much later that day Clint sat on one of the sofas, just relaxing by the tree and flipping trough a new book he got. He wasn't that mad that his secret Santa had not showed up by now but if he found out who it was, he would maybe throw a tantrum. He heard a noise and looked up. Nat came in, holding a tray with a plate and two mugs.

"Mind if I join you?", she asked looking at him. "Would i ever reject you?" So she sat next to him. "Brought you our gingerbread selves. Wanna eat them?" He smiled, than they ate the tiny assasins and drank cocoa. She looked around the room. It was a few minutes to 12 and they were alone. Everything was silent "Still no secret Santa?", she asked quietly. "Hell no. It's an impudence… if I get my hands on...-", he stopped. He understood. She turned to look at him and he looked back. "You are my secret Santa?", he pronounced the obvious and all of a sudden his throat got dry. She noded slowly. What could she have as a present that she couldn't have given him in front of the others? Her eyes fixated his. She reached behind a cushion and grabbed something. "Sorry to kept you waiting this long. I know you were upset.", she handed him a mistletoe. Clint looked confused at the branch in his hand, then back at her face. "A kiss? You are giving me a kiss?", he slowly said. She cleared her throat "If you want to. Or I'll go to the next 7-11, as Tony suggested." Clint sniggerd and lifted the mistletoe over their heads. She drew nearer as his free hand laid on her cheek carefully. Their eyes met, both were a little nervous. Clint throws the branch to the floor only to cup her face fully. Eventually they kissed, their eyes shut.

They kissed long and intensely. Her hands ran trough his hair. "That's a wonderful present. Thank you," he whispered, his forehead touched hers. "You're welcome." "Sooo, was this a one-kiss-only-gift, or…," he teased. "What, you want more of that?", she laughed and gave him a smooch on the cheek. "Hey, you missed!", he said and laid his arms around her, pulling her closer. "I'm not like you Mister i-can't-seem-to-miss.", she replied, gently stroking her hands on Clints chest. "Wanna try again then?"

And though all that Steve stood in the doorway, looking at this couple of master assassins kissing and cuddling and his heart was full. This truly was a Christmas miracle.


End file.
